Water-cycle appliance.



E. BURNS. WATER CYCLE APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED lULY'l3, 914. 1 160 257 Patented Nov. 16, 1915. 2 SHEETS-S ffiflll. u l

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Specification of IetterslPatent.

Patented ov. 16, 1945.

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Be it known -I, Ei wARn BURNS, a citiz'enof the Unitedstates of America, residing 'oovingtoaparishef St. Tammany and State of Louisiana'have invented certain new I useful improvements 1n l/Vater Cycle Appliances, of which tire following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying This invention relates to a water 'cycle appliance, and has for its object theproduction of a simple and efficient means for the operation of ferryb'o te and the like a dapted to ply across the river, stream or other body of water, and has for its object the production of a simple and eflicient means for operating the water cycle appliance.

Another object of the invention is the production of a simple and efiicient device whereby the craft used in connection with the water cycle appliance may be supported upon or as nearly upon the surface as possible in order to avoid the resistance of the water upon the craft while moving within the water over which the device is adapted to pass.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device'in operation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the .craft or boat. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through the device illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4-4, of Fig. 3, the engine being eliminated therefrom. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of thewinding drum. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the winding drum. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the guiding tubes through which one of the winding cables is adapted to pass.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that 1 designates the body of the craft or boat which is preferably formed of an elongated body pointed at both ends, although it should be understood that any desired shape craft or boat may be employed for accomplishing the desired purpose. The boat 1, however, is preferably provided with a flat bottom in order to float upon the top of the surface of the water as nearly as possible, and thereby avoid the great amount of resistance which would take place a-ga'inst th-e craft-, pr'oviding the "same was submerged ream great depth within the water. It should beunderstoo'd eat any ream or fcraft be employed, l rgeersmall, for the eprafiag 'without dpaaiag fr'oni the spirit of the inventio'n. j y

A plurality of supporting brackets 2 are mounted within'the' boat I andupon these sup orting brackets 2- Y is mounted a central su peaiaashart 3, whieheenaal supporting shaft 3 carries a drurn frame4 as is illuspate-din Figs. 2 and-*5. Thistlruir'i frame '4 comprises a plurality of parallel plates and between these parallel plates are carried rollers 5, which rollers may be independently rotated upon the drum frame 4 relative to the supporting shaft 3. The supporting shaft 3 carries a driving pulley 6, which driving pulley carries a driving belt 7 passing from an engine 8, and thereby imparting power to the supporting shaft 3 for the purpose of operating the drum frame 4.

A cable guiding tube 9 is carried at each end of the boat 1, and these cable guiding tubes 9 are supported upon supporting brackets 10 of suitable construction. The cable guiding tubes 9 pass from a point adjacent the drum frame 4 and through the respective ends of the boat 1 as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. These tubes 9 are inclined toward the respective ends of the boat from the drum frame 4 as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 so as to cause the cable 11 which passes therethrough to hang under the surface of the water as illustrated in Fig. 1 as the drum 4 winds the cable for the purpose of pulling the boat from one shore of the body of water to the other.

The cable 11 is attached at its respective ends to stakes 12 placed upon opposite shores of the body of water, and this cable passes through the tubes 9 carried by the boat 1 and then passes around the rollers 5 carried by the drum frame 4 for the purpose of being wound over or under the rollers 5 as the drum frame 4 rotates upon the supporting shaft 3. It should be understood that these cables do not wind around the drums individually, but pass from one drum to the other and form a substantially loop-like wind to allow the drum frame 4 to assume the different positions illustrated in Fig. 3 as the supporting shaft 3 is rotated.

It should be understood that as the drum frame 4 is being rotated in the direction as indicated by the arrow, the cable 11 will be drawn or wound over the rollers 5 of the drum frame d. It should be understood: that the tubes 9 pass down an incline towardthe respective ends of the boat 1 and terminate short of the drum frame a so as to allow'the cable to pass easily overthe drum frame when the frame is in a-horizontal position such as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. It should be understood that the present device may be employed in connection with canal boats and the like, if it should be so desired for the purpose of towingwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

It should be understood that the cable which is carried by the boat will normally lie under the surface of the water so as not to interfere with navigation upon the stream over which the boat may be traveling. This 20 construction is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is In a devlce of the class described, the combination with a boat, a supporting shaft carried thereby, adrum shaft, a drum carried by each end of said drum frame, a guiding tube carried by each end of said boat, a cable passing through said guiding tube and wound over said drum, said guiding tubes extending at an angle to. the bottom ofsaid boat for, causing the said tubes to be inclined from the respective ends of said boat, and supporting means for said guiding tubes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, EDWARD BURNS. Witnesses; v V V PHILIP BURNS, S. J. FRIEDLANDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, .D. G.

frame carried by said 

